Sea Turmoil: Overloaded Ferry Stuck Mid-Voyage

In a dramatic turn of events, a Ro-Ro ferry, laden with 200 passengers and 75 vehicles, found itself stranded mid-sea between Saphale and Virar in Maharashtra's Palghar district on a recent Sunday evening. The predicament was attributed to a technical failure prompted primarily by overloading, as confirmed by officials.

The vessel's hydraulic ramp snapped under excess weight, leaving it immobile off the coast of Mharambalpada. With passengers stranded for hours, both the crew and district marine authorities engaged in concerted efforts to stabilize the situation for a coordinated rescue operation. Police and marine rescue teams rushed to the scene to manage the unfolding crisis.

Despite the severity of the situation, there were no injuries reported, and passengers were safely de-boarded once the vessel reached the jetty. An official inquiry into the mechanical failure, overloading, and contributing tidal conditions has been launched, with repair and rescue operations ongoing.

(With inputs from agencies.)